Logging ground beef

djwife03
djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
edited December 21 in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering- we purchase our beef from a local farm. This beef is grain and grass fed. How do you log this? We do not know the percentage of lean to fat. I tried logging today and so many choices. I hate to go with just generic or whatever.
«1

Replies

  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Have you tried to ask the farm? They should have an idea of the percentages.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    djwife03 wrote: »
    Just wondering- we purchase our beef from a local farm. This beef is grain and grass fed. How do you log this? We do not know the percentage of lean to fat. I tried logging today and so many choices. I hate to go with just generic or whatever.

    search using USDA ground beef and the %. The fact that it's grass fed isn't going to change the calories.
  • Ducks47
    Ducks47 Posts: 131 Member
    I would ask the farm. If that’s not possible then I’d log the higher fat percentage to be on the safe side- like medium instead of extra lean.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    Mince is one of my fav go-to dinners, as I like chilli and tacos and spag bolg. But omgosh the calories make me want to cry!

    I live in NZ, so all our beef is grass fed, it's still high calorie. We don't get turkey mince here (I've never seen it in shops) so I can't substitute even chicken mince can be tricky to find.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I'd ask them. But I got my ground beef from a local farm when losing, and didn't ask, I just used the beef, grass-fed raw entry, since it's between the 80 and 90% entries, and the grass fed I've seen sold in stores is 85% and googling suggested that between 85 and 90% was common for grass fed in stores (grass fed should result in somewhat leaner beef, I think, since the reason people like grain fed is supposed to be the marbling).

    If I'd stalled on losing in the relevant weeks I would have gone to 80%, perhaps, but I didn't.

    It's about a 50-55 cal for 100 g difference between the grass fed and 80% entry (I didn't find an 85% entry for raw).
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I'd ask them. But I got my ground beef from a local farm when losing, and didn't ask, I just used the beef, grass-fed raw entry, since it's between the 80 and 90% entries, and the grass fed I've seen sold in stores is 85% and googling suggested that between 85 and 90% was common for grass fed in stores (grass fed should result in somewhat leaner beef, I think, since the reason people like grain fed is supposed to be the marbling).

    If I'd stalled on losing in the relevant weeks I would have gone to 80%, perhaps, but I didn't.

    It's about a 50-55 cal for 100 g difference between the grass fed and 80% entry (I didn't find an 85% entry for raw).

    I also bought from a local ranch and I believe I use the same entry. If I ate it very often I might aim for a higher calorie count to be safe but I don't and the margin of error has never been enough to show up as a negative impact.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    djwife03 wrote: »
    Just wondering- we purchase our beef from a local farm. This beef is grain and grass fed. How do you log this? We do not know the percentage of lean to fat. I tried logging today and so many choices. I hate to go with just generic or whatever.

    search using USDA ground beef and the %. The fact that it's grass fed isn't going to change the calories.

    She said she doesn't know the %.

    @djwife03 , can you ask the folks at the farm what cut(s) of meat they use in the ground beef, and if they add additional fat trimmed from roast and steaks that they sell? Unless it's a really small operation, I would think they would try to follow a consistent recipe so that customers are satisfied from one batch to the next.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited May 2019
    No farmers here I take it. Of course, pen raised, formula fed beef will have the most fat. That's the whole point of it. Lean beef appeals to some people for some reason, but it is a niche product, not the goal of a feed lot.

    You can look at the beef and get close enough without analytics. If you see a lot of fat, it might be 30%. If you don't see any fat, it might be 10%.

    Most importantly, if you are grilling or broiling most of the fat will be rendered out anyway.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Are you saying that you rinse your meat after browning/draining? That is a technique that I am not familiar with. Are you trying to rinse more fat off?

  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    djwife03 wrote: »
    Just wondering- we purchase our beef from a local farm. This beef is grain and grass fed. How do you log this? We do not know the percentage of lean to fat. I tried logging today and so many choices. I hate to go with just generic or whatever.

    I would think, just be consistent.
    is there going to be a huge difference when it comes to this - 80 to 85 percent lean/15 to 20 percent fat?
  • tlpina82
    tlpina82 Posts: 229 Member
    djwife03 wrote: »
    Just wondering- we purchase our beef from a local farm. This beef is grain and grass fed. How do you log this? We do not know the percentage of lean to fat. I tried logging today and so many choices. I hate to go with just generic or whatever.

    Go by the cut. Depending on the cut you buy, you can estimate the fat %.
    Burger cuts like Chuck, rib among others, have higher fat content than the roasting meats.

    I don't know how important that is, as I haven't tracked food for a long time, but it should be easy to estimate by the cut.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Are you saying that you rinse your meat after browning/draining? That is a technique that I am not familiar with. Are you trying to rinse more fat off?

    It gets extra fat off and keeps whatever you put it on from getting greasy. I don’t digest fat very well at all, so any extra fat I can eliminate makes my stomach much happier.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    just_Tomek wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Thats a great way to wash away any leftover flavour and horrible way to save any calories at all.


    I’ve never found ground meat of any type to have any flavor other than the toppings. Even the greasiest of burgers still just tastes like mayo, cheese and pickles....it’s no big loss and makes things much more digestible for me. I’ll take a greater volume of rinsed meat over the small amount of unrivaled meat I can eat any day.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Are you saying that you rinse your meat after browning/draining? That is a technique that I am not familiar with. Are you trying to rinse more fat off?

    It gets extra fat off and keeps whatever you put it on from getting greasy. I don’t digest fat very well at all, so any extra fat I can eliminate makes my stomach much happier.

    Thanks for explaining. I get it...the older I get the less fat that my stomach can deal with. I don't eat a lot of red meat any more because of that. The fat just doesn't agree with me. When I do eat red meat I try to use no more that 10% fat. I have to add a lot of spices to put taste back in to it.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited May 2019
    I'd buy 97% ground beef vs. rinsing a cooked patty.

    I don't agree that fat percentage doesn't matter in that it all cooks off -- it's quite common for people to prefer higher fat percentage ground beef for a burger in that it tends to be juicier/have more flavor. If there's enough fat left to affect flavor, I am assuming there's enough for the calories to be different. (That said, as discussed above, I didn't nitpick it when I didn't know and it was close enough.)
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,365 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I'd buy 97% ground beef vs. rinsing a cooked patty.

    I don't agree that fat percentage doesn't matter in that it all cooks off -- it's quite common for people to prefer higher fat percentage ground beef for a burger in that it tends to be juicier/have more flavor. If there's enough fat left to affect flavor, I am assuming there's enough for the calories to be different. (That said, as discussed above, I didn't nitpick it when I didn't know and it was close enough.)

    Even though I pretty religiously rinse ground meat, it would be kind of weird to rinse a patty. I don’t think I’ve ever made burgers at home. My dad used to, but I could eat things like that back then. Now I can only eat a quarter to maybe....maybe a half a burger without getting sick, so definitely a treat food.
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Are you saying that you rinse your meat after browning/draining? That is a technique that I am not familiar with. Are you trying to rinse more fat off?

    It gets extra fat off and keeps whatever you put it on from getting greasy. I don’t digest fat very well at all, so any extra fat I can eliminate makes my stomach much happier.

    I rinse my ground beef all the time too,I can't stand making a recipe and seeing all that oil floating on the top :s
  • metalhead_1982
    metalhead_1982 Posts: 6 Member
    You can get a decent estimate of fat percentage by weighing before and after cooking/draining off the grease. Here is the math to measure the percent.

    Weight(raw) - Weight(Cooked) = Weight(fat)

    Weight(fat) / Weight(raw) = Percentage of fat, roughly
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited May 2019
    You can get a decent estimate of fat percentage by weighing before and after cooking/draining off the grease. Here is the math to measure the percent.

    Weight(raw) - Weight(Cooked) = Weight(fat)

    Weight(fat) / Weight(raw) = Percentage of fat, roughly

    Not seeing where these calculations - specifically the weight(fat) - account for loss from, and evaporation of, water from the meat as it is cooked. Muscle tissue is comprised of a substantial amount of water that is lost from the weight(raw) during the cooking process. In other words, the difference between weight(raw) and weight(cooked) is not all weight(fat); you need a weight(water) calculation as well.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/mcdonalds/quarter-pounder-patty

    Multiply 220 by 4 for a pound of fresh never frozen ground beef. This source does come is free growth hormones but it is still is my preferred fast food Keto meal with a lot of mustard and regular coffee that is 25% half and half milk so three senior cups is 360 calories with a lot of protein. I am trying to hit 100+ grams of protein daily so this will give me about 50% in one meal. The mustard will add many types of plants to my diet.

    This will be the calories after cooking the 100% beef patties. Salt and pepper is added in the kitchen.
  • djwife03
    djwife03 Posts: 333 Member
    Thank you all! I will ask at the farm next time we go. I do drain our burger once cooked also.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    https://fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/mcdonalds/quarter-pounder-patty

    Multiply 220 by 4 for a pound of fresh never frozen ground beef. This source does come is free growth hormones but it is still is my preferred fast food Keto meal with a lot of mustard and regular coffee that is 25% half and half milk so three senior cups is 360 calories with a lot of protein. I am trying to hit 100+ grams of protein daily so this will give me about 50% in one meal. The mustard will add many types of plants to my diet.

    This will be the calories after cooking the 100% beef patties. Salt and pepper is added in the kitchen.

    Mustard is just mustard seed with vinegar, sugar, salt and some spices. Certainly not a meaningful source of "many types of plants" in anyone's diet, even if you drown your burgers in it. ;)

    And to the OP: If I'm uncertain as to the fat percentage of my ground beef, I log it as 80% to err on the side of caution.

    Sounds like you may need to change your mustard source if what you listed is factual.

    https://organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/mustard.html

    I don't know where you live, but in the U.S. the leafy green veg is referred to as mustard greens, not mustard, which typically means prepared mustard (ground mustard seed, vinegar, salt, spices) or sometimes just ground mustard seed. In any case, how does eating mustard greens add "many typest of plants" to your diet?
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    I never heard of anyone rinsing cooked beef before. That's a new one.

    USDA does a good job of categorizing ground beef, broiled, crumbles, raw, etc. So, if the fat is in the dish like chili or casserole, you have to go with raw. If you use the fat in the pan, like for gravy, same answer. If it is grilled broiled or otherwise removed from the rendered fat like on paper towels, etc., use the cooked numbers.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    https://fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/mcdonalds/quarter-pounder-patty

    Multiply 220 by 4 for a pound of fresh never frozen ground beef. This source does come is free growth hormones but it is still is my preferred fast food Keto meal with a lot of mustard and regular coffee that is 25% half and half milk so three senior cups is 360 calories with a lot of protein. I am trying to hit 100+ grams of protein daily so this will give me about 50% in one meal. The mustard will add many types of plants to my diet.

    This will be the calories after cooking the 100% beef patties. Salt and pepper is added in the kitchen.

    Mustard is just mustard seed with vinegar, sugar, salt and some spices. Certainly not a meaningful source of "many types of plants" in anyone's diet, even if you drown your burgers in it. ;)

    And to the OP: If I'm uncertain as to the fat percentage of my ground beef, I log it as 80% to err on the side of caution.

    Sounds like you may need to change your mustard source if what you listed is factual.

    https://organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/mustard.html

    The mustard you're getting at McDonald's is the generic yellow mustard with the ingredients I listed above. So, no, definitely NOT something that is adding "many types of plants" to your diet. It's mustard - a condiment - not a large leafy green salad. ;)
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    https://fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/mcdonalds/quarter-pounder-patty

    Multiply 220 by 4 for a pound of fresh never frozen ground beef. This source does come is free growth hormones but it is still is my preferred fast food Keto meal with a lot of mustard and regular coffee that is 25% half and half milk so three senior cups is 360 calories with a lot of protein. I am trying to hit 100+ grams of protein daily so this will give me about 50% in one meal. The mustard will add many types of plants to my diet.

    This will be the calories after cooking the 100% beef patties. Salt and pepper is added in the kitchen.

    Mustard is just mustard seed with vinegar, sugar, salt and some spices. Certainly not a meaningful source of "many types of plants" in anyone's diet, even if you drown your burgers in it. ;)

    And to the OP: If I'm uncertain as to the fat percentage of my ground beef, I log it as 80% to err on the side of caution.

    Sounds like you may need to change your mustard source if what you listed is factual.

    https://organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/mustard.html

    I don't know where you live, but in the U.S. the leafy green veg is referred to as mustard greens, not mustard, which typically means prepared mustard (ground mustard seed, vinegar, salt, spices) or sometimes just ground mustard seed. In any case, how does eating mustard greens add "many typest of plants" to your diet?

    This.

    Mustard greens and the yellow mustard that comes in those little packets at McD's are not the same thing. Mustard greens are the leaves, commonly eaten sauteed - a vegetable.

    Mustard comes from the ground seeds of the mustard plant - nothing green about them. Claiming that mustard is a beneficial source of many veggies makes about as much sense as saying that about ketchup - even if someone drowns their fries in it. ;)
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited May 2019
    COGypsy wrote: »
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    COGypsy wrote: »
    I usually figure that by the time I’ve browned, drained, and rinsed my meat, the 90% lean entry is close enough.

    Are you saying that you rinse your meat after browning/draining? That is a technique that I am not familiar with. Are you trying to rinse more fat off?

    It gets extra fat off and keeps whatever you put it on from getting greasy. I don’t digest fat very well at all, so any extra fat I can eliminate makes my stomach much happier.

    Wouldn't draining the ground beef on some paper towel and then patting it dry accomplish the same thing as actually washing it?
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
    No it's not the same just using paper towels,when I say rinse I mean for recipes cuz I just buy whatever is on sale so sometimes it's super greasy! I'd never however rinse a hamburger patty
This discussion has been closed.